Oakwood speeds up

Oakwood Park Business Centre near Harrogate is converting a 2,000sq ft building specifically for start-ups and SMEs. The development, which will hold units of 200sq ft and upwards, comes as owner Alan Cryer claims to have benefited from an increase in enquiries after a new high speed broadband service was installed at the 19,000sq ft park.

Oakwood Park Business Centre near Harrogate is converting a 2,000sq ft building specifically for start-ups and SMEs. The development, which will hold units of 200sq ft and upwards, comes as owner Alan Cryer claims to have benefited from an increase in enquiries after a new high speed broadband service was installed at the 19,000sq ft park.

The installation is the latest development in the Smart Parks project, an initiative set up as part of a partnership between two public sector bodies, NYnet and York & North Yorkshire. To date the initiative has connected five business parks across the region.

Cryer said: “When I heard about the Smart Park initiative, I immediately seized the opportunity to bring high speed fibre optic broadband to Oakwood Park as I could see the enormous potential for the park and its tenants.” One of Oakwood Park’s original tenants, Take That, relies heavily on a high speed broadband connection.

Technical manager Matthew Swift said the speed of the park’s old bonded ADSL network meant downloading large files had to be scheduled outside working hours. “Now that we have access to a more robust and reliable high speed fibre optic connection these tasks can be run on demand,” he said. “It’s also reassuring to know we can easily increase the bandwidth to grow with us.” As a result of the Smart Park initiative Oakwood Park has also been able to connect surrounding businesses with high speed broadband via wireless technology. Hob Green Hotel, a country house in neighbouring Markington, now enjoys high speed broadband and another business, Patricia Dawson Clothes, will be connected shortly